Stratasys, a maker of 3D printers, has embarked on an ambitious plan to become more of a software company by launching a design application built using open source standards

Stratasys says GrabCAD Print is built on a proven, cloud-based SaaS platform and a “new business intelligence environment”, which will make designing and making 3D printing “easier, more intuitive and readily accessible”.

Stratasys is known as 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions company – it’s a hardware company. But the new software strategy is designed to make 3D printing significantly easier, more intuitive and highly accessible – which, in turn, will expand the company’s market into the software sector.